Soviet sport through the lens of legendary photographer Lev Borodulin (PHOTOS)

Gateway to Russia

Jul 29 2023

He was not only known across the whole USSR, but also the whole world, and received many awards for his professional work. Take a look at some of his best pictures.

Lev Borodulin (1923-2018) was a true legend of Soviet sports photography and one of the leading photographers of the iconic ‘Ogonyok’ magazine. An innovator in the genre of sports photography, he continued the traditions of avant-garde photographers, such as Alexander Rodchenko. Many of his images became iconic and were sold at the world’s most famous auctions.

During the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Borodulin took the famous ‘High dive’ photo, which was featured on the cover of ‘Ogonyok’. It showed a female athlete from the back as she jumped. The Soviet authorities criticized the photo for its formalism and frivolity – so it became both scandalous and famous.

Take a look at this and other famous photos by this master of photography.